Flotation apparatus



Feb. 13, 1923.

1. P. RUTH, JR.

FLOTATION APPARATUS.

HLED AUG. 16. 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

"will Feb. 13, 1923.

J. P. RUTH, JR, FLOTATION APPARATUS.

4-SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HLED AUGJ16,1917- Feb. 13, 1923.

J. P. RUTH, JR.

FLOTATION APPARATUS.

4 SHEETS SHEET 3' HLED AUGAI6.19H.

514400 11 foi Patented EFelb. l3, 1591273.

unirao STATES JOSEPH P. RUTH, JR, or DENVER, COLORADO.

FLOTATION APPARATUS.

Application filed. August 16, 1917.

T 0 all whomit may concern Be it known that I, J osnrrr 1. RUTH, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flotation Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates toimprovements in flotation apparatus, my object being to'provide a construction of this class which shall efliciently perform the function of separating the metallic values from the pulp by causing said values to rise to the top ofthe pulp through the medium of oil and air mingled with the pulp, whereby an emulsifica tion of such elements is produced.

The apparatus consists of a series of connected units. one of which'is preferably an emulsifier, whose only function is the thorough mixing of the pulp, the oil and air, as the material to be treated is fed to the apparatus. The other .units'of the machine, each. consists of an agitating compartment and a separating compartment, each agitatin compartmentbeing provided with a cut- 0 baflle vertically disposed on the side toward the adjacent'agitating compartment, whereby a definite amount of pulp is separated from that in the first agitating co1npartment and overflows. into the adjacent agitating compartment, while the overflow of'the froth upon the first agitating compartment, passes into its companion spitzkasten or separating compartment, from which it finally passes to a launder. By virtue of. this construction, the pulp which passes to the second agitating compartment, is separated from the body of the pulp in the first agitating compartment, at a point somewhat below thesurface of the pulp, thus limiting the possible discharge of froth with.

the flow of pulp into the second agitating compartment, and at the same time maintaining a predetermined level of the pulp in all the units of the machine except the emulsifying unit in which the sp-itzkasten into which the pulp to be treated is originally fed, is preferably kept empty through the Serial No. 186,602.

medium of the centrifugal pump employed 11 1 the agitating compartment of the emulsifying unit, this pump having a relatively large capacity as compared with the feed of the pulp into the companion spitzkasten.

Further features of the invention reside in maintaining the same level in both a itating and separating compartments, t e partition not extending to! this level, in providing a free space above this level for the free movement of froth, and in the separate introduction of gas and liquid, whereby the gas is finely divided and separated by definite quantities of the upwardly moving liquid and the diffusion of the gas is maintained. By maintaining the level in both compartments the same with the partition terminating below the level and no froth obstruction above the level, the froth flows off freely and is not broken up and carried below the surface as is the case where the overflow falls to a lower level.

Having briefly outlined my improvement I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing. in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof. In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a. longitudinal section taken on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 1.

away.

Fig. 5 is a. similar view shown on a larger scale and with the agitating member slightly raised from its normal position.

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of a-member located in the bottom of each agitating compartment;

. Fig. 7 is a similar View of a cooperating member? F ig; 8 is a perspective view of the apparatus in, which one of the units is employe for emulsifying purposes only.

Fig. 9 is a cross section taken through the emulsifying unit of the apparatus.

- Fig. 10 is adetail view illustrating means for regulating the supply of air tothe agitating compartments-of the various units, the parts being shown on a larger scale.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view partly in section of a part of the construction shown in Fig. 10,

Fig. 12 is a vertical longitudinal section of the adjustable plug shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the agitator head employed in the agitating compart ments of my apparatus, the hollow shaft connected therewith being shown in cross provided with an agitating compartment 9 and a feeding compartment 10, each unit of the apparatus including the emulsifying unit has a cavity at the bottom of the agitating compartment, which cavity is-formed by the cutaway part 12 of the member 13 (see Fig. 7). Thispart 13 is placed un'der-.

neath a bottom member 14 and in close contact therewith, the member 14 having an opening 15 which is in communication with the recess or chamber 12 of the mcmber'13. In other words, the parts 13 and 14 are two boards, part 13 being underneath the part 14 and the cavity or chamber 12 has a depth equal to the thickness of the board 13 and the inner portion 16 of this cavity registers with the opening 15 of the board member 14. The cavity 12 is in communication, as shown at 17, with the bottom of the separating compartment of the unit, so that the materialunder treatment may be pumped from the separating compartment into the agitating compartment, and this pumping function is accomplished through the medium of a rotary head 18, whose lower extremity is provided with a hollow part 19 which communicates with a number of passages 20 formed. in the head and whose outer extremities are at the periphery thereof. The head 18 is secured to the lower extremity of a hollow shaft 21, whose upper extremity is in communication with the atmosphere'and whose lower extremity is in communication with the inner extremities of a number of passages 22 of the head whose outer extremities are in communication with hoods 23 which are offset from the body of the head, whereby partial vacuums are formed during the rotation ofthe head in the direction indicated by the arrows in F ig. 13. At the same time the rotation of the head by virtue 'of the centrifugal force developed draws the pulp under treatment from the cavity 12 and the separating compartment of the unit,

11'1130 the agitating compartment, and this is true as before stated, of unit, and of all the other paratus.

The object of the emulsifying unit 4 is to the emulsifying units of the apeaaoaa thoroughly mingle the air, oil and pulp in order that the flotation function may be properly carried out. The material to be treated .is first fed into the compartment 10 of the emulsifying unit and passes therefrom into the cavity 12 of the agitating compartment 9 of this unit. It is intended when the apparatus is in use to maintain the compartment 10 of the emulsifying unit sub-' stantially empty, whereby a relatively large quantity of air may be drawn into the pulp with the material as it passes from the compartment 10 into the compartment 9. In this case air may also be drawn into the pulp in the agitating compartment through the medium of the hollow shaft 21 and the air head of the agitating compartment of the' emulsifying unit that its pumping capacity is greater than the Volume of pulp fed into the compartment 10, any desired quantity of "air may be introduced into the pulp by way of the compartment 10. The hollow shaft 21 of the emulsifying unit is rotated at a much higher speed than the corresponding shafts on the separating units. This is indicated in Fig. 8, in, which the pulley 24 through the medium of which power is transmitted to the hollow shaft 21 of the emulsifying unit, is considerably smaller than the pulleys 25;attached to the hollow shafts of the other units. The two compartments 9 and 10 of the emulsifying unit areseparated above the bottom opening 17, by a partition 26.; while the two compartments 9 and 10 of the emulsifying unit are separated from the corresponding compartments 7 and 8 of the adjacent separating unit by-a partition 27 which is provided with a recess 28 at the top and in communication with-the upper portion of the compartment 9. One extremity of short trough 29 isconnected with the recess 28 while its opposite extremity is arranged to discharge into the separating compartment unit.

The compartments 7 and 8 of each unit 6 are separated by a partition 30 and there is an overflow from the compartment 7 of each unit into the compartment 8 of the same unit, while the mineralized froth overflows at the top of the inclined Wall 31 ofeach unit 6 into a launder 32 or 33 as may be desired. A. bridge plate 34 is hinged at 35 between the two launders. When this plate isin the position shown in Fig. 9, the material from the separating compartment of the unit passes in'tothe launder 32. If, however, it is desired that the froth from any unit shall pass into the launder 33, the plate 34 is adjusted to close the launder 32 at the;

8 of the adjacent separating the plate which bridges the space between the launder 33 and the unit. allowing the material to enter the launder 33, in which event it is returned to the corresponding separating compartment through the medium of a conduit-36. In other words, if the mineralized froth from any unit is not sufficiently free from gangue, the plate 34: is adjusted to cause it to enter the launder 33, which as well as the launder 32 is common to all of the units. there being a separate plate 34: for each unit. as best illustrated in Fig. 8. In order that a part of the material from the agitating compartment of each unit 6 may enter the corresponding compartment of an adjacent unit 6, a baffle member 37 is spaced from a partition 38 separating the agitating compartments. said baffle being supported by the side walls of the agitating compartment and extending both above and below the top of the partition 88. The upper edge of the baffle member 37 extends above the top of the partition 38, while the lower edge of this member extends below the upper edge of said partition. Hence, the portion of the pulp which passes from the agitating compartment 7 of one unit into the corresponding compartment 7 of an adjacent unit. is separated from the body of the pulp below the surface of the latter. The passage of the pulp from one agitating compartment 7 to another through the medium of the corresponding bafiie member 37. is illustrated by arrows in Fig. 2. It should be explained that the upper edge of the baffle 37 is of the same height as the corresponding edge of a partition 68 which separates the compartments 8 of any two adjacent separating units. while the upper edge of the partition 38 of each unit. is at the same level as the corresponding edge of a partition 30 separating the compartments 7 and 8 of each unit 6;

Hence. when the machine is in operation the mineralized froth is continually passing from the agitating compartment 7 over the upper edges of the partitions 30 into the adjacent compartments 8. while a portion of the pulp from each agitating compartment. 7 is passing over the upper edge of the partition 38 into the adjacent agitating compartment of another unit by virtue of the employment of the baffle 37. Attention is called to thefact that the pulp between the baffle 37 and the partition 38. is prevented from entering the adjacent separating compartment or spitzkasten 8 by a closure member 41 which extends above the upper edge 40 of the partition 30, itsupper extrem1ty lying in the same plane as the upper edges of the adjacent baffle and the. partition 38.

Provision is made for regulating the supply of air to the pulp through the hollow shafts 21. and one form of construction which I may employ for this purpose is illustrated in detail in Figs. 10, 11 and 12. The device employed consists of a hollow plug 12 adapted to enter the upper extremity of each hollow shaft. and in order that the adjustment of this plug may be effected.

while the shaft is in operation, I provide a lever 43 which is fulcrumed, as shown at M, on an oscillatory arm 45 pivoted on a sta tionary support, as shown at 46. The plug 4C2 has upper and lower members 47 and 4:8 grooved to receive bearing balls 49. while a ring 50 is grooved on its upper and lower faces to receive the said balls. this ring surrounding the plug and being trunnioned as shown at 51 in grooves 52 formed in the opposite side parts 53 of a bifurcated part 54 of the lever. this bifurcated part being 10- the plug-supporting mechanism.

From the foregoing description the use and operatidn of my improved flotation process will be readily understood. While the apparatus may be successfully operated without the employment of a special emulsifying unit. I prefer to employ the latter. since by virtue of such employment a special initial emulsification of the material may be effected and this may be very important in carrying out the flotation process and particularly so in the case of some ores.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the emulsifying unit is not disclosed though such a unit may be placed at the left .hand extremity of this construction in which event the apparatus would be substantially the same as illustrated in Fig. 8.

Assuming that the construction employeil is that disclosed in the last named figure, the operation will be as follows:

The material to be treated is first'diS- charged through the medium of a spout or conduit 58 into the compartment 10 of .the emulsifying unit 4 and by virtue of the rapid rotation of the agitating head withinthe adjacent agitating compartment 9 the mater al is drawn through the medium of the centrifugal. force developed in the said head. from the bottom of the compartment 10. through the opening 17 into the shallow chamber 12 in the bottom of the agitating compartment 10 andthence through the short hollow member 19 of the head 18. whence it flows through the passages 20 in the said head and escapes therefrom at the outer extremities of the latter to the agitating compartment and rises therein filling the said compartment. It is the intention to so regulate the speed of the agitating head of this unit as to maintain the adjacent spitzkasten 10 substantially empty whereby a relatively large quantity of air will be delivered to the pulp in this unit. At the same time additional air if desired may be introduced through the medium of the hollow shaft 21 or this shaft may be closed at the top by the proper adjustment of the plug 42. By the rapid movement of the agitating head of this unit, together with the arrangement for the introduction of a relatively large quantity of air, a thorough emulsification of the pulp, air and oil will be effected, and as this emulsified product rises in the compartment 9, it will flow into the compartment 8 of the adjacent separating unit through the medium of the short conduit or trough 29 heretofore described. It is then that the process of separating the mineral from the pulp in reality begins; and the pulp passes from the compartment 8 of the first unit 6 into the agitating compartment 7 of the same unit, and rises therein, the pulp ioverflowing from the agitating compartment 7 into the compartment 8 and the froth passing thence from the last named compartment into one of the launders 32 or 33 depending on the adjustment of the hinged plate 34. If for any reason the mineralized froth is not sufiiciently free from gangue or impurities, plate 34 is adjustecbto close the launder 32 and allow the material to pass into the. laun- "d'er 33 and thence into the conduit 36 and back into the bottom of the separating compartment whence it will again pass into the agitating compartment for retreatment,

while if this froth is sufficiently clean or free from gangue, it will enter the launder 32 in the first instance and pass to a suitable receptacle for the mineralized froth or concentrates. As soon as the pulp fills the agitating compartment 7 of any unit 6 a portion of it passes into the adjaoent agitating compartment of the next unit, this portion passing between the baffle 37 and the partition 38 and finally overflowing over the last named partition nto the adjacent agitating compartment. In this way the agitating compartments of all of the units 6 are kept full when the apparatus is in use and has been operating a suthcient len th of time to completely fill or charge the entire apparatus. material within the units 6 automatically and by gravity assumes a predetermined level whereby both compartments of each unit of the entire apparatus are kept full, the pulp continually flowing over the upper edge 40 of the partition 30 from one agitating compartment 7 into the adjacent sepa rating compartment 8, while a portion of It will thus be noted that the the pulp is continually flowing over the upper edge of each partition 38 from the agitating compartment of one unit into the adjacent agitating compartment of another unit. In the last unit 6 of the apparatus or that farthest to the right in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, the compartment 7 corresponds in position and function with the agitating compartment 7 of the other units except that in this last compartment 7 there is no agit-ator. The lighter gangue is drawn off from the last compartment 7 at the top while the heavier gangue settles in the bottom and is drawn off through a conduit Furthermore. the overflow from the last The concentrate or mineralized froth which 5 enters the launder 32 may be drawn off through a pipe or conduit 64.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

1. In flotation apparatus, a plurality 01.

units each comprising an agitating compartment and a separating compartment, the agitating compartment of one unit having an overflow into the separting compartment of its own unit, and an overflow into the contiguous agitating compartment of the adjacent unit independent of the overflow into said separating compartment.

2. In flotation apparatus, the combination of a plurality of units each comprising an 1Q0 agitating compartment and a separating compartment. the agitating compartment of one unit having an overflow into the separating compartment of its own unit and an overflow into the contiguous agitating compartment of the adjacent unit, the separating and agitating compartments of each unit being in communication at the bottom, and means for circulating the pulpl 3. In flotation apparatus, the combination of a plurality of units each comprising an agitating compartment and a separating compartment, the agitating compartment of one unit having an overflow into the separating compartment of its own unit and an overflow into the contiguous agitating compartment bf'the adjacent unit, the separating and agitating compartments of each unit being in communication at the bottom, and

means located within the agitating compare ment of any unit for circulating the pulp from the separating compartment into the agitating compartment.

4. In flotation apparatus. the combination of a plurality of units each comprising an agitating compartment and a separating compartment, the'agitati'ng compartment of one unit having a. free overflow from the top into the separting compartment of its own unit, and a restricted overflow into the con- Lil ment of one unit into the separating compartment of its own unit, and means, for causing a restricted overflow from the agie tating compartment of one unit 1nto the contiguous agitating compartment of the adjacent unit independent of the overflow into said separating compartment.

(3. In flotation apparatus the combination of a plurality of units each comprising an agitating compartment and a separating compartment, means for causing the pulp to overflow from the agitating compartment of one unit into the separating compartment of the same unit, and means for separating a part of the pulp below the surface in'the agitating compartment and causing it to overflow at the top into the agitating compartment of the adjacent unit independent of the overflow into said separating compartment. v

7. In flotation apparatus, the combination of a plurality of units each comprising an agitating compartment and a separating compartment, the partition between the two agitating compartments otadjacent units and the partition between the agitating and sepa rating compartments of each unit being of the same height, and abafile spaced from the partition separating the two agitating com-' Vpartments of adjacent units and extending both above and below the level of the top of the adjacent partitions, the two compartments of any unit being in communication with each other at the bottom and means for circulating the pulp from the separating compartment into the agitating compartment of each unit.

8. In flotation apparatus, the combination of a plurality of units, each comprising an agitating compartment and a separating compartment in communication at the bottom, means located in the agitating compartment of each unit. for circulating the pulp from the separating compartment into the agitating compartment, means for causing the pulp to overflow from the top of an agitating compartment. into the separating compartment of the same unit, and means for ca'usingthe pulp to overflow from the agi= tating compartment of one unit into the agitating compartment of the adjacent unit.

9. In flotation apparatus, the combination of a plurality of units, each comprising an agitating compartment and a separating compartment in communication at the bottom, means located in the agitating compartment of each unit for circulating the pulp from the separating compartment. into the agitating compartment, means for causing the pulp to overflow fromthe top ,of an agitating compartment into the separating compartment of the same unit, and means for causing the pulp to overflow from the agitating compartment of one unit int-.0 the agitating compartment of the adjacent unit, said last named means including a bafile device spaced from the partition separating the agitating compartments of adjacent units and extending both above and below the upper edge of said partition, said device also separating the passage between the bafiie and the said partition from the separating compartment. of the unit.

10. In flotation apparatus, a plurality of 'units each comprising an agitating compartment and a separating compartment one of said compartments being arranged at the side of the other,the agitating compartment of one. unit having an overflow into the separating compartment of its own unit. and a-n'overflow into the contiguous agitating compartment of the adjacent unit.

'11.'Inv flotation apparatus, the combination of .a plurality. of units each comprising an agitating compartment and a separating compartment, one of said compartments be ing arranged at the side of the other, the agitating compartment of one unit having a free overflow from the top into the sepa- N rating compartment of its own unit, and a restricted overflow into the contiguous agitating compartment ofthe adjacent unit.

12. In flotation apparatus, the combination of a plurality of units each comprising i 4 an agitating compartment and a separating compartment, one of said compartments being arranged at the side oft he other, means for causing a free overflow from the top of the agitating compartment of one unit into the separating compartment of its own unit, and means for causing a restricted overflow from the agitating compartment of one unit into the contiguous agitating compartment of the adjacent unit.

13. In flotation apparatus the combination of a plurality of units each comprising an agitating-compartment and a separating compartment, one of said compartments being arranged at the side of the other, means for causing the pulp to overflow from the agitating compartment of one unit into the separating compartment of the same unit, and means for separating a part of thetpulp below the surface in the agitating compartment and causing it to overflow at the top into theagitating compartment of the adjacent unit. v

14. In flotation apparatus the combination ofa plurality of units each comprising an agitating compartment and a separating compartment, means for causing the pulp to overflow from the agitating compartment of one unit into the separating compartment of the same unit. and means for separating a part of the pulp below the surface in the agitating compartment and causing it to overflow at the top into the agitating com- I partment of the adjacent unit, said separating means comprising a battle extending above and below the point of the, last-named 15. In flotation apparatus a plurality of units, each unit comprisingail-agitating compartment and a separating compartment,

one of said compartments being arranged.

at the side of the other, means for causing a free overflow from the top ofthe agitating compartment of oneunit into the separating compartment of the same unit,'and

-means for causing a restricted-overflow from 17-. In flotation apparatus a plurality of units, each unit comprising an agitating compartment and a separating compartment, one of said compartments being arranged at the side of the other,-means for determincompartment, means for maintaining the same pulp level in both compartments," a partition between the compartments termiing a liquid level in the compartments, the

natin'g below the pulp level the agitating compartment having an overflow into the separating compartment below the pulp level, the separating compartment having a froth overflow, the space above said pulp level being free of obstruction in order to permit free movement of froth toward said froth overflow. a connection between the lower portion of the separating compartment and the lower-portion of the agitating compartment, and a discharge overflow from said agitating compartment independent of the overflow into said separating compartment.

In testi nony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH P. RUTH, JRi. 

